Type-in traffic is a term describing visitors landing at a web site by entering a keyword or phrase (with no spaces or in place of a space) in the web browser's address bar (and adding .com or any other gTLD or ccTLD extension); rather than following a hyperlink from another web page, using a browser bookmark, or a search-box search. Type-in traffic is a form of direct navigation and depicts strong brand presence and user familiarity.

History

Prior to 2002 most web browsers resolved type-in search strings via DNS to the .com top-level domain; thus entering 'mysearchterm' in the web browser's address bar would typically lead the user to http://mysearchterm.com/. This behavior changed as browsers evolved based on the 'default search engine' setting in the web browser's properties. Thus entering 'mysearchterm' in the address bar would now lead to an error page, as the computer is looking http://mysearchterm/ or to results from a search engine if a default is set. Much of Microsoft's Bing (formerly as MSN then Windows Live Search) high usage rank results from the error page traffic delivered via their dominant Internet Explorer browser. A significant percentage of Google's traffic originates from redirects via the Firefox and Google Chrome browsers and from the Google toolbar, all of which take over type-in traffic search strings to the browser address bar.

Recent Developments:

Strategies to Enhance Type-In Traffic:

In summary, while the digital landscape continues to evolve with AI and social media, type-in traffic remains a vital indicator of brand strength and user loyalty. By adapting to changing user behaviors and implementing strategic branding and marketing initiatives, businesses can effectively enhance their direct traffic and overall online presence.